Apparently, The Children's Learning in Science Project prepared
materials to support CASE (according to a possibly not-very-reliable
source).

I did not know this - and am rather surprised as CASE and CLISP seem
based on rather different approaches - i.e. Driver's programme was in
part driven by a rejection of that aspect of the Piagetian programme
that focused on broad intellectual structures at the expense of
exploring conceptual understanding is specific topics, whereas CASE
sets up specific science activities to support domain-general
intellectual development.

Is there any truth in this?

"Lev Vigotsky (1973) believed that it was children's interaction with
others through language that most strongly influenced the level of
conceptual understanding they could reach. He believed that we can
learn from others, both of the same age and of a higher age and
development level. One of the main ways this operates is through
scaffolding in the zone of proximal development. This concept refers
to the gap between what a person is able to do alone and what she or
he can do with the help of someone more knowledgeable or skilled than
him or herself. It is here that the role of teachers, adults and
peers comes to the fore in children's learning. They can help bring
the child's knowledge to a higher level by intervening in the zone of
proximal development by providing children's thoughts with so-called
scaffolds (small planned steps of support), which once the learning
process is complete are no longer needed by the child.
His work has gone on to influence the thinking behind the CASE
(Cognitive Acceleration though Science Education) and CLIS
(Children's Learning in Science). Materials written to support CASE
Adey et al (1989) which promote the ideas of social construction
(where learning takes place between members of a group) and
metacognition (thinking about one's own thinking). The success of
CASE methods in getting pupils to work in groups and resolve conflict
is well established and these ideas can and have been successfully
adapted for use at Key Stage 4 or post-16, for example, Moran and
Vaughan (2000), and into the primary curriculum."

Key Stage 3 National Strategy. (2004). Strengthening teaching and
learning in science through using different pedagogies. Unit 1: Using
group talk and argument: Department for Education and Skills,
pp.23-24.

--
Dr. Keith S. Taber

http://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/staff/taber.html
http://people.pwf.cam.ac.uk/kst24/

University Senior Lecturer in Science Education

Science Education Centre
University of Cambridge Faculty of Education
184 Hills Road
Cambridge CB2 8PQ
United Kingdom

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